So... why buy an iPad?

[CrystalQuest76]

iPads are not just consumption devices. They are very powerful productivity tools.
Lately I have found that the iPad is great for video and photo editing. I have been using LumaFusion in combination with Affinity Photo to produce videos for various training purposes. The prices for these two apps was much lower than comparable applications on a desktop. Being able to use a tablet like a drawing pad increases productivity. This is a link to a tutorial video that shows how the apps can work together that I found very inspiring.
Getting the most out of tools helps deal with pain of the high prices of the iPad. Otherwise just save the money and buy a cheap android or fire tablet.

 

[Adelphos33]

I think I'll approach this by listing things that I do on an iPad that I almost never do on an iPhone. I

1. Write Microsoft World documents
2. Create Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
3. Watch live streaming TV
4. Watch steaming movies or TV shows
5. Annotate PDFs
6. Read financial documents
7. Do and file taxes

 

[Richard8655]

To avoid sitting in front of a desktop. Basically, portability yet with a display size as satisfying as a desktop monitor. (I’d recommend the 2017 if you can get it for a nice discount - $80-$100 off.)

 

[CrazyForCashews]

Content consumption on a phone is a compromise, on a tablet, it's not.

 

[jimmy_uk]

If you read reviews or go to Apple's product page for iPad, all they focus on is what's new and better compared to previous or other iPad models.

But no one seems to be talking about why one would buy an iPad.

Personally, I've had several iPads in the past but I mainly used them for watching videos and browsing the web. That need kinda went away when bigger sized phones showed up.

The new $329 iPad, however, grabs my attention. Relatively low price and iOS seems much improved when looking at stuff like multitasking.
Still not convinced I'm going to buy one. Also considering the 2017 iPad which is $30 cheaper.

So, I'm curious: what is the reason why you bought (and kept) an iPad?

Ultimate comic reader.

This was the most exciting prospect when the very first ipad was announced, I couldn't buy one fast enough!

 

[Newtons Apple]

If you read reviews or go to Apple's product page for iPad, all they focus on is what's new and better compared to previous or other iPad models.

But no one seems to be talking about why one would buy an iPad.

Personally, I've had several iPads in the past but I mainly used them for watching videos and browsing the web. That need kinda went away when bigger sized phones showed up.

The new $329 iPad, however, grabs my attention. Relatively low price and iOS seems much improved when looking at stuff like multitasking.
Still not convinced I'm going to buy one. Also considering the 2017 iPad which is $30 cheaper.

So, I'm curious: what is the reason why you bought (and kept) an iPad?

I continue to buy iPads as my iPhone could never be my go to device for the internet. My iPhone works great while out and about but not when I am home.

 

[nburwell]

My 10.5" IPP is probably my favorite Apple product that I currently own. When I'm home, I use my iPad exclusively and really don't pick up my iPhone X from the coffee table.

Uses of my iPad are: Web browsing, Netflix, Playstation Vue, Twitter, New York Times, email, Google Sheets, iMessage, FaceTime, FB Messenger, HBO Now and Hulu.

 

[Sh00tingStar]

I never really had much interest in a iPad. Too expensive for what you get, etc. Then about a month ago I stumbled on the 9.7" iPad (2017) at Costco with a closeout price of $249.97 and couldn't resist. At $400-500 I don't see the value but for $250 I get enough use out of it to justify the price.

 

[Exinor]

I use mine (1st gen 12.9" iPad Pro) for reading (books/manga/comics), some light gaming, but mostly for drawing, which is my primary form of income. I generally use my iPad more than my Cintiq these days.

As an artist, which app is best for you? I'm trying to break into drawing on the iPad but even amongst my friends, they tend to do digital art on PC so their recommendations are usually iPad variants of software that they already use.

 

[skottichan]

As an artist, which app is best for you? I'm trying to break into drawing on the iPad but even amongst my friends, they tend to do digital art on PC so their recommendations are usually iPad variants of software that they already use.

I use Procreate and Sketchbook mostly. Procreate has better tools for the most part, but Sketchbook is nice because of it's integration with the MacOS Sketchbook app.

 

[mofunk]

This is the same question that most of us asked when the iPad came out? Why do you need an iPad when you have a MacBook or iMac or iPhone or iPod? Basically why choose Apple or the other guy?

The first iPad I got was because I wanted something similar to my iPod touch where I could watch videos on a larger screen and read books. Its lighter than a MBP. Now its simple. You like to use an iPad or you just want one cause Apple makes some cool stuff.

 

[Altis]

This is the same question that most of us asked when the iPad came out? Why do you need an iPad when you have a MacBook or iMac or iPhone or iPod? Basically why choose Apple or the other guy?

The first iPad I got was because I wanted something similar to my iPod touch where I could watch videos on a larger screen and read books. Its lighter than a MBP. Now its simple. You like to use an iPad or you just want one cause Apple makes some cool stuff.

I recall this being the issue when I got my iPad 1st generation -- what do you do with it?

Of course, back then they were far more basic.

 

[HandsomeDanNZ]

For me it's a variety (as it is for many others).

I have owned/used iPads since the first generation and my needs/uses have evolved ove the years.

• I still consume media on my iPad - mainly Netflix and iTunes movies and on-demand TV
  
• Web browsing is also easier on an iPad than an iPhone (for me)
  
• I now (more than ever before) use my iPad for note-taking - the Pro works well for me as a note pad and a laptop replacement for most cases, where I am in a meeting or on the go - I have the Pencil and Keyboard
  
• Pencil support has changed the way I use an iPad - a traditional stylus just didn't really work for me...the Apple Pencil has changed that (much like a Surface Pen did with my MS Surface Pro)
  
• I like to do the odd bit of doodling on the iPad - it's fun and it's a bit therapeutic - even if I am hopeless at it
  
• I am also part way through writing a novel on my iPad (again - portability is key here)...it's light, easy to use and doesn't get in the way of whatever else I am doing if I take it with me
• I use it as a portable photo library too - I take pictures with my iPhone and P&S camera and download the pictures to the iPad for viewing - also backing up to the cloud for storage
• I used to read Kindle books on it, but now use an actual Kindle for that - easier on the eyes...still have an extensive iBooks library however
  
• I use it (occasionally) for client pitches and demos - PowerPoint and the like

Overall, I couldn't be without an iPad - I could go without a Desktop or Laptop, but not an iPad...

 

[infinitejest]

iBooks - whenever I ordered a book, my interests wandered elsewhere once I finally received the copy and was now obsessed with a whole different topic (I have a short attention span). With iBooks...boom - one click, 15 seconds download, problem solved. Furthermore, the top one of my two bookshelves ripped out of the wall and killed the one underneath as well. So no more physical books for me.
iTunes - I also have an Apple TV, but more often than not, the televison won't automatically turn on when I turn on the Apple TV. It's really not worth the time it takes to fumble around to find the remote (I'm quite a lazy person), so I watch the movie on my iPad. Also, you can put the iPad next to you, in front of you, on top of you or something else, really convenient.
Web browsing - with a laptop, you have to sit upright in front of a desk (or maybe on your couch - but either way, you have to sit upright). Really uncomfortable. With an iPad though, you can lay in your bed or even sitting on a lawn mower and browse the web.

On the other hand though, I don't really send emails with more than one line of text from my iPad, because I really can't stand typing longer texts on a touch screen. But as it seems, quite a few people in this thread don't mind typing on an iPad. So it's probably a personal thing.

 

[bluecoast]

I've always wanted to get an iPad but have always really struggled to justify it.

My MBP is portable (kind of) and has a nice screen. My iPhone 7 is very portable and has a nice screen. I watch any TV/movies on a proper HD TV.

So I don't really know where the iPad would fit in in all that for me. It would probably have to get very close to being a true laptop replacement for me to get one - and that means that I'm probably in the market for a iPad Pro somewhere in 2019-20!

However, OP, the iPad is great so if you feel that it's going to work for you, go for it. I think it's a bargain for the price. The features of the Pro at the moment are 'nice to haves' if you're not a graphics professional who is using it for sketching and drawing etc. and who needs the colour gamut to be near on perfect.

Definitely get the 2018 model though - it'll last longer, it's faster and hey, you can always use the pencil with it, if you fancy it.

EDIT: Just thinking it over, I think that my issue with the iPad is that 7-8 years into its life, it's still more or less 'a big iPhone'. It absolutely doesn't have to be, but Apple seems reluctant to commit significant engineering resources to really open up the iPad to give it more power - better home screen, better multi-tasking, multi-user logins etc. (which I understand would not be trivial to do).

The main case in point, is that Apple haven't even ported over the iPhone utility apps such as Weather, Calculator & Stocks to the iPad. Now that's just lazy.

 

[MEJHarrison]

Get one and use it during your return period. At the end of that return period, decide if it's worth keeping or not. If not, return it. If so, enjoy it. You can get advice all day long. But in my opinion, you won't KNOW until you try one out for a short period of time.

 

[fatalogic]

I've come to use mine as a macbook replacement. I have a powerful desktop with a 34 in ultrawide if I really need extra grunt but most of the time I can just ssh into it and make quick code changes on my ipad. Then I can go back to writing or drawing quickly and easily. I can start to see how apple sees the ipad as a computer replacement. If I could get a full unix command line, on it a better file system and some extra multi tasking features I'd probably never buy a macbook pro again.

 

[mofunk]

I recall this being the issue when I got my iPad 1st generation -- what do you do with it?

Of course, back then they were far more basic.

I waited and got the 2nd or 3rd Gen iPad. I did like most people did, watched movies and red books. There were a few games that I liked to play on them. When the last iOS came out I had to pick and chose which Apps to have on it. For the most part I still watched a movie. That part was hard to do because that meant that I had to remove a game so that I could rent a movie.

 

[Altis]

I waited and got the 2nd or 3rd Gen iPad. I did like most people did, watched movies and red books. There were a few games that I liked to play on them. When the last iOS came out I had to pick and chose which Apps to have on it. For the most part I still watched a movie. That part was hard to do because that meant that I had to remove a game so that I could rent a movie.

Oddly enough, watching Netflix still worked up until very recently on iOS 5.

I wish I had waited until the 2nd generation iPad though at least as it had a far more useful lifespan. If nothing else, it can be used as a monitor using Duet Display or similar. I don't really have a purpose for tablets these days otherwise as I need my laptop regardless.

 

[charlituna]

So, I'm curious: what is the reason why you bought (and kept) an iPad?

i bought it because I thought it would suit my needs, I kept it because it did.

seems like you don't feel like it would suit your needs, so don't buy it.

 

[RickTaylor]

I bought the first mini iPad, because I wanted an e-reader. Many of my books were in PDF form with lots of technical equations, which didn't work well on the kindle e-ink devices. I'd gotten to the point where I was printing out pdf files and putting them in a binder, which was not convenient. The iPad was a great solution.

Once I had the ipad, I used it for other things as well. It's great for taking notes (I lose little slips of paper), checking e-mail and the Internet when I'm out and about, and for GPS (the larger screen is a convenience over a cell phone).

I'm a math instructor, and I bought the 12.9 inch iPad along with a pencil to use for presentations as a white board. It works great for that, and it's also useful as a notebook for jottings that involve more than just text. And it's fun to watch movies on it.

 

[Mack812]

I my iPad Pro for taking notes, watching videos on YouTube, Netflix and other streaming sites, keeping track of my bank account via Numbers, reading ebooks via the Kindle app, storing photos via the FileExplorer app, and of course surfing the web.

 

[kazmac]

Helping with school:

Reading and annotating PDFs, reading comics, watching movies and checking school site (Not very productive there but at least I can mark up PDFs and write answers) and drawing on my 12.9.

I am still waiting for an artist to confirm if the 2 gigs of RAM in the 2018 iPad bottleneck in Procreate when working with layers (I have seen one review that mentions this).

That is the only thing holding me back from buying one now - though I expect I probably will capitulate with a smaller iPad for school, esp since I cannot check classes during the day at my jobs.

And cell phones are way too small a screen for me.

 

[Farrgazer]

Remote Desktop - Using Jump Desktop, I can access my iMac at my home office and use the Citrix X1 mouse with the iPad for a very natural-feeling experience. The downside is that it makes me irritated that Apple has not implemented native mouse support (as Android has had for years).

Are your iPads cellular or wi-fi only? How smooth and stable would you say is the connection? I know that it would be next to impossible to play games via remote desktop, but is the connection good enough?

 

[sracer]

Are your iPads cellular or wi-fi only? How smooth and stable would you say is the connection? I know that it would be next to impossible to play games via remote desktop, but is the connection good enough?

My iPads are WiFi only. Obviously the smoothness and stability of the connection depend upon the quality of the network connection and the horsepower of the system connecting to. It's not possible to play action games with any remote connection, but I have been able to do graphic work that required delicate actions quite well.